1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aircraft smoke detectors, and more particularly to an aircraft smoke detector and related method for reducing false detects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically all commercial aircrafts have passenger and cargo compartments. To protect the passengers and cargo from fires, heat and smoke, detectors are generally installed in both the passenger and cargo compartments. These detectors send signals to a cockpit warning system to notify the pilot of any abnormal condition present in the passenger and cargo compartments. Receiving an accurate and immediate emergency signal from the detectors is critical because it may allow the pilot and staff to either extinguish the fire while the aircraft is in flight or make an emergency landing to evacuate the passengers and crew.
Detectors are generally classified into one of three categories: flame detectors; thermal detectors; and smoke detectors. These three classes of detectors correspond to the three primary properties of a fire, which are flame, heat and smoke. One type of smoke detector includes a radiation source, a control circuit for intermittently driving the radiation source and a radiation receiver. The radiation receiver is connected to an evaluation circuit capable of outputting a smoke alarm signal when the radiation receiver receives radiation influenced by smoke particles in synchronization with operation of the radiation source.
One drawback of these types of smoke detectors is the large number of false alarms caused by conditions such as malfunctioning smoke detectors or dust and fiber particles contaminating the smoke detectors. For example, the passenger and cargo compartments of an aircraft may be filled with dust and fiber particles resulting from blankets, magazines, food, luggage as well as other items that may attach to the radiation source. In many situations, the radiation receiver receives the dust and fiber particles but incorrectly interprets them as smoke particles and activates the smoke alarm signal resulting in the pilot having to take costly and unnecessary actions such as an emergency landing of the aircraft. Some companies have attempted to develop filters to try to filter out the dust and fiber particles, however, these attempts have been largely unsuccessful.
Thus, it should be appreciated that there is a need for an aircraft smoke detector and related method for reducing false detects. The present invention fulfills this need as well as others.